Machine for making spherical glass bodies



June 3, 1930. J. F. EARLY v 1,761,623

I MACHINE FOR MAKING SPHERICAL GLASS BODIES Filed March 22, 1926 Ehwmtoz 33:1 fi xabtomma so stantly changing axes.

Patented June 3,1930

JOHN F. EARLY, or onmxsnune, wasrvmemm,

asszenon. 'ro crnn nxno-nen'rn comm, or Axnon, one, A conronn'rron or cure MACHINE FOR MAKING SPHERIGAL GLASS BODIES Application filed March 22, 1926. Serial No. 96,427.

Fig. 1 isa plan of apparatus embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof; and Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed horizontal section showing the meeting faces 5 of the rolls.

My invention relates to machines for mak ing spherical glass bodies, one type of which is shown in Patent No. 1,164,718 of Horace G. Hill, dated December 21, 1915.

I have found that with machines of the character shown in the Hill patent, which are largely used for the manufacture of spheril cal glass bodies such as marbles, and-balls used for industrial purposes, sometimes the 15 bodies are formed with flattened portions,

which are caused by rotation about a substantially constant axis, whereas to form bodies in the shape of spheresit is'necessary that, while plastic, they rotate about con- For the purpose of overooin'in this diifi culty, I have so arranged the-r0 ls that the groove in the face of one roll "is so arranged with reference to the groove 'in'the face of 26 the opposing roll that the body being formed 30 radii of different dimensions, and have fur-- ther provided means which will cause a shifting of the body being formed in the groove, so that as itadvances further it must be rotated about a changed axis. 7 My invention also comprises various features which I shall hereinafter describe arid claim. 7 Referring to the drawings, I have shown my invention applied to a machine such as is shown in the Hill patent, in which the roll 2' rotates downwardly at its workin point and the roll 3, which preferably is 0 larger diameter than-the roll 2, rotates upwardly at itsworking point. The roll 2 has a helical groove 4 and the roll 3 a helical groove 5. The helical groove 5 is shallower than the groove 4, and theroll 3 is arranged with reference to the roll 2 so that the grooves 5 have a lead upon the grooves 4. The result of this is that the grooves 5 are not in register with the grooves 4, but the grooves 5 are always slighlty in advance of the rooves 4. i

It will "thus be seen that as a go of glass is dropped into the grooves 4 and 5 at the receiving ends of the rolls, the gob will be engaged by the groove 5 at the point marked a, and as the gob is rotated it Wlll bear along the bottom 0 the groove 4, with the result that the off-centered application of force from the groove 5 will cause it to rotate about an axis other than an axis parallel with the center of either groove, and this will cause rotation in at least two directions, which will constantly change. To provide further means for ensuring constant change of rotation of-the glass body I have cut away the groove 5 of the roll 3, which moves upwardly at its working point, preferably at a number of points, and have formed recesses 6 in the groove at such points in the shape of a trough with a flattened bottom surface. As the glass body strikes this flattened surface of a recess 6 it is, of course, relieved from its engagement by the surface a and willtend to, roll over upon another axis. Then, as rotation of the rolls continues, the surface a of the roll 3 will again engage the glass body and tend to rotate it about a still further axis. The first of the recesses 6 is preferably slightly removed fromthe receiving end of the rolls, and I have found that two orthree of such recesses are suflicient for the purpose involved, and these are preferably located in the1 portion of the roll 3 nearest the receiving en v I have found that in machines constructed in accordance with my invention I obtain a substantially increased proportion of bodies which are substantially. spherical, with the.

result "that with my improved machine there is practically noloss from bodies which are thereof, but recognize that various structuralmodifications are possible within the scope of'the invention claimed. 7

What I claim is: p

1. In a machine for manufacturing spherical glass bodies, a pair of oppositely arranged rolls having opposing helical peripheral grooves; means for simultaneously rotating said rolls upwardly and downwardly at their respective working points; and means efi'ecupwardly tive from the beginning of the formation of each article for causing the article being formed to rotate positively about constantlyv changing axes, said means comprising arranging the groove on the upwardly moving roll to have a lead on the groove on the downward] moving roll. V

J. In a machine for manufacturing spherical glass bodies, a pair of oppositely arranged rolls having opposing peripheral grooves; means for simultaneously rotating said rolls and downwardly at their respective wor ing points; and flattened portions in the groove of the upwardly movin roll adapted to cause rotation of the body icing formed about substantially different axes.

3. In a machine for manufacturing spherical glass bodies, a pair of oppositely arranged rolls having opposing peripheral grooves; means for simultaneously rotating said rolls. upwardl and downwardly at their respective wor 'ng points, the groove on the u wardly moving roll being shallower than t e opposing groove, havin a lead over the opposing groove, and also aving flattened portions therein, all of said features in the last mentioned groove cooperating to ensure rotation of the body about constantly changing axes. Y

4. In a machine for manufacturing s herical glass bodies, a pair of opposlte y arranged rolls having opposing peripheral grooves; means for simultaneously rotating said rolls upwardly and downwardly at their respective working points, the groove on the upwardly moving roll being shallower than the groove on the downwardly moving roll and the oove on the upwardly moving roll arrangef to have'a lead on the groove on the downwardl articles being ormed are caused to rotate positively about constantly changing axes and rotation about a single axis is prevented.

moving roll, whereby the cal glass, bodies, a pair of oppositely arranged rolls 'havin at the working point opposing periphera grooves; lands at the sides of the grooves, said grooves being disposed out of coincidence with each other with a ortion of one of the lands on one of the r0 ls lying directly opposite apportion of the groove on the opposite roll; means for simultaneously rotating said rolls upwardly and downwardly at their respective working points, the lgroove on the upwardly moving roll being 5 allower than the groove on the downwardly moving roll the said opposite arrangement and the difi erence in depth of said grooves comprising means whereby the formation of the gob is accelerated and rotation about a single axis prevented.

JOHN F. EARLY.

5. In a machine for manfact-uring spheri 1 cal glass bodies, a pair of oppositely arranged rolls having opposing peripheral grooves; means for simultaneousl rotating the rolls upwardly and downwar y at their working points, the groove of the upgoing roll being oflset in the direction of the length of the said. rolls to.permit the rear side of the groove of the u goin roll to engage a body and push such body orwardly and upwardly as it is being formed,- which thereby assists it in rotating positively about constantly changing axes and rotation about a smgle axis is revented. Y

6. In a mac no for manufacturing spheri- 

